Five Nights in Equestria: Reboot Edition
by RandomHamster33
Summary: A night at Freddy Fazbear's isn't the most enjoyable thing. Sometimes, it's worse for the animatronics who work there. Foxy's nights are always like that. His happiness is done . . . or is it? P.S: More than five nights. Follows MLP canon mostly, but parts will be different. (Rewrite of the original story, by me. It is NOT required to read the first one to read this.)
1. A New World

**Author's Note: (a longer one)**

**Hello, everyone! I got some input back from you and the few that did reply said they'd read either a reboot or a sequel for the most part, and there were a few distinct choices. I went with a reboot cuz I think the original story got WAY too weird. Like, what was even the ending. XD Idk, I promise there will be no crazy out-of-Equestria experiences this time!**

**This story will probably go slower than the other one because it's going to focus more on Foxy's mental state and stuff. I want less random, and more deliberate drama that doesn't jump all over. More in-character stuff as well. There will be quite a bit that is similar to the first story, like this first chapter, but a lot will be different as well. Hence the entire rewrite.**

**Be prepared for slow updates as well because my mental state is questionable at best and it takes a LOT of motivation for me to do anything. I'll try my best to write chapters in good time; but remember, feedback makes it easier. ;) Just saying. Plus, I apologize in advance for how stiff my writing is in this first chapter(s). I haven't really written all that much since last year.**

**I'll probably be uploading random drawings of the characters to my DeviantArt as well (I have some up already, I'm trying to rework my designs of them) throughout the story. If you're interesting in how I personally imagine them, feel free to check them out. I'm not promising good stuff, though. XD My username over there is HeroinCat302. (For some reason, idk, I was like 12.) XD**

**Sorry for the freaking essay, but I just needed to address the initial changes from the OG story to this one. I hope you enjoy, and tell me what you think of the first chapter!**

**Takes place in MLP S1. **

**Also, be prepared for more of Freddy being a HUGE douche. :D**

* * *

"Rest easy, my sister; as always, I shall guard the night."

Celestia dips her head at Luna as she passes, heading inside. The dark princess walks with practiced stride to the balcony's edge and summons her magic to begin the process of raising the moon. It's not hard anymore, practically as easy as breathing, but Luna still likes to make a spectacle for herself. She _knows_ others appreciate her work now.

Luna finishes lifting the moon to its pinnacle in the night sky and then lets herself watch over the subdued city that is Canterlot. Her attentive gaze sweeps over the streets and buildings, searching for any sign of possible trouble—there really isn't much of it these days, at least, but every once in a while, there is a bout of frowned upon activity that bubbles up in the dark. Tonight is quiet, it seems.

Luna casts one final check over the sleepy city before closing her eyes. Her horn lighting, she springs a shooting star into the sky. She likes to tune in and listen to the wishes of her subjects; mostly they are simple, yearning words, but often times she hears the whimsical want of a foal, as they love shooting stars the most.

Tonight, she hears many things; she smirks as she catches the whisper of a filly in Trottingham wishing for a 'kitty cat' for her birthday tomorrow; an old mare hoping her daughter's wedding goes well. Luna lets her magic roam about to dip in and out of ponies' wishes, listening casually, but unlike the city streets, tonight is not so quiet here.

* * *

The moon is rising outside of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. The dayshift employees have all clocked out, and it's only a matter of hours before the nightshift arrives. Inside, the halls are empty and silent . . .

Foxy slips out of Pirate Cove as quietly as he can, though the creaking of his rusted joints makes it harder than it has to be, and sneaks down the hall. He doesn't dare go anywhere near the Stage, as he knows the others are awake and conscious in there; running into any of them at this time, especially Freddy, would be a mistake.

Foxy just wants to stretch his robotic limbs without bothering any of the other animatronics. His claws click on the linoleum, and the sound is so unnaturally loud in this eerie environment; the pirate swears it's the loudest noise he'll ever hear and winces when he stumbles over a step and the sound reverberates down the empty hallway. He pauses briefly, waiting to see if he can hear any approaching footsteps. Thankfully, all is quiet, so he continues on.

Foxy comes to a window at the end of the hall and slows as he nears it, ears tipping back.

_Ya do this every time, stop bein' such a scaredy_ _fox, _Foxy tells himself with a small roll of his eyes, annoyed that he always approaches this window so tentatively but knowing that he'll never come near without being careful. He's not scared of anything particular—at least he thinks.

Foxy pauses a step away from the window, eyebrows furrowed at the thought. Shaking it off, he finally rests his worn hand and hook on the sill, feeling his tensed parts relax slightly. The trip to this point is nerve wracking and stressful, but once he's here, he's more at ease.

Outside the small window, cars pass idly by the restaurant. Foxy can see over the tops of the low roofed buildings that are across the street, giving him a view of the night sky. Few stars speckle the darkness—at least, Foxy can't see that many. Looking into the abyss he can see gives him a funny feeling in his circuits; it always does. Foxy's not sure why that happens either. But he does enjoy seeing something beyond the run-down interior of Pirate Cove day after day.

_What was that? _

Something shiny streaks across the portion of the sky he can see, and he jerks his head to get a better angle. The sudden movement makes his broken jaw give a whiny creak, but Foxy doesn't pay it any attention as he follows the tiny speck in the sky, his eyepatch now flipped up.

_Ain't_ _that one a' them . . . what are they called . . . shootin_' _stars? The ones the kiddos like. Said they grant wishes or somethin_' _. . . _

Foxy stares at the spot the shooting star passed by for a long moment, thinking.

_A shootin_' _star, huh? Couldn't hurt to try, right? A broken ol_' _bot like me could use a wish, _he thinks. Foxy then snorts, knowing it's a stupid idea, but it isn't like it matters anyway; dreams don't come true, especially not for him. _Aye, I've learned that one many a times. But . . . _

"Mm . . . whatever, might as well . . . even though it's stupid," the pirate grumbles to himself. He closes his eyes and concentrates, forcing all of his willpower into this one action.

_I wish . . . I could be happy again. Me life has been a world of mistakes and hurt, and I've done some bad things, but . . . but I just wanna_ _be happy. I wanna_ _be wanted. By someone, anyone. Doesn't matter who, just let it be. Please. _

Foxy lifts his head a few seconds after his wish, and instantly, he feels like an idiot for even acknowledging his wants and voicing them, even though he's not done so vocally.

"Stupid fox . . . whatdaya think that did for ya? Absolutely nothin', that's what," Foxy chastises, pushing himself back from the window and mechanically flipping his eyepatch down again. Even though he's frustrated with himself, he finds himself staring, lost in thought, at the window.

"Foxy!"

The pirate starts as the yell brings him back to reality. He jerks around and sees Freddy standing at the end of the hall, his imposing figure cast in shadow, standing almost to the ceiling and blocking his only way back to Pirate Cove.

Freddy crosses his arms and levels a hard look at the worn animatronic at the other end of the hall. "It's almost midnight. Get back to the Cove—_now_."

Foxy doesn't argue; he nods and looks down, abashed, feeling heat rise in his circuits at being caught, and he hurriedly sets off back to his room. Staying small and low, he slips past Freddy, who has stepped to the side to let the fox pass. Foxy senses Freddy only a few steps behind him, and a wave of relief washes over him as he returns to Pirate Cove. Freddy doesn't bother stopping on his way back to the Show Stage.

Foxy sneaks back through the purple curtains and lets himself relax. Nothing good ever comes from crossing Freddy, and he's glad the bear is in a forgiving mood tonight.

_See what bein_' _dumb gets ya? Freddy snappin_' _at yer_ _heels, ya_ _blast idiot, _Foxy berates, telling himself it could have been worse but he's glad it wasn't.

Foxy sags to the floor, his joints creaking, and leans up against the shoddy pirate ship that sits in his area. Closing his eyes, he deactivates until it's time.

* * *

Luna's ears prick up at the voice that drifts into her mind. Furrowing her brows, she tunes in on the words to distinguish the message.

"_. . . I wish . . . happy again . . . mistakes and hurt . . . wanna_ _be wanted . . . please . . ."_

The voice is strange and distorted, and Luna frowns. She can hear the pain behind the thought, for that's what it is, truly, but the one responsible for the wish is hard to find. The princess can't distinguish where this voice is coming from.

Luna lifts her face to the night air and opens her eyes; despite the anonymity, something within the voice sparks a part of her—the part that still feels guilt and remorse over becoming Nightmare Moon. She can feel similar emotions from this strange entity.

"I have to know more," Luna whispers. She abruptly turns from the balcony and walks briskly inside, plotting down the tower's spiraling staircase with determination. She passes a few night guards, who nod to her, but she ignores them for the time being as she escapes to her chambers. Once inside, she hops onto her bed and places her head on her forelegs as if she is about to go to sleep, closing her eyes.

Luna reopens her eyes to find herself in the dreamscape. Her horn alit and guiding her, she follows the signal over many a magical path to her intended destination. She's not sure where she'll end up, for the voice was faraway and exotic, but she did indeed hear the wish in the first place. That can only mean she'll find the origin.

One thing she can tell, however, is that this is from beyond Equestria's borders.

Her magic leads her on for what seems like forever, but Luna doesn't turn back, even as the dreamscape gets progressively darker and more foreign. She doesn't recognize this place anymore, but she pays little attention to that; the dreamscape is infinitely large and changing.

At the end of the path, she finds herself standing in front of a purple curtain. Luna inspects it with caution; it's different from the normal doors that lead her into ponies' dreams. It obviously has the same purpose as a door here, as it stops abruptly with no definitive edges, and there's a small gap for her to pass through. It's simply strange—then again, the whole situation is.

Luna pushes ahead with little hesitation after her initial inspection. The curtain swishes closed after her.

Now inside a room, Luna glances around. A stage sits before her, one with the same purple curtains she's used to get into the dream. Something about the room makes her wonder if she's not entirely in the dreamscape because all the scenery seems to be moving—glitching, she supposes is the apt word.

From nowhere, small beings appear in the room, surrounding the stage. Luna backs up, unsure of what she's looking at. They are short and seem excited; the princess decides they're probably this place's version of foals.

_This is probably one of their dreams, _the princess thinks, though she can't find the exact one.

The curtain opens, and Luna directs her attention back on stage. Surprise lights up in her mind; what seems to be an abnormally large bipedal fox stands as the center of attention. No, not just a fox, a robotic fox. Some sort of act. The kids in the room begin cheering, and Luna comes to the realization that this is not one of their dreams—it's the fox's, and that's why the room and everything that is a part of the dream is glitching.

Luna feels worry gnawing at her belly; something is going to go wrong here.

"Arg, little landlubbers, are ye all ready for an adventure with Foxy?" the animatronic asks. He—for the fox is definitely a he—is not looking at the crowd; his eyes are glued ahead. There's a programmed smile on his face, and Luna can't help but notice how large his teeth are.

The kids are still ecstatic as the act continues. 'Foxy' goes through what is probably a daily routine of getting the kids riled up and asking them to sing along to his "pirate song."

Luna watches the event with piqued interested. It all seems rather fun, the whole act; the kids are singing and shouting and laughing along. Some of them are wearing masks with not only Foxy's face but other animals on them. For a brief moment, Luna wonders if this dream isn't going to end badly.

The act slams to a halt as Foxy suddenly glitches, his arms stuck in midair and voice stuttering. Luna is almost surprised because she has been so engrossed in the proceedings, but now the situation is devolving.

"Sorry kids, it seems Foxy's having some technical difficulties," someone new says. It's a bigger version of the small things, an adult, Luna guesses. The adult steps forward and begins to shoo the kids away from the edge of the stage and away from the glitching pirate. The kids cry out in dismay. "Don't worry, I'm sure Foxy will be ready again soon. Why don't you all leave and go watch Freddy's band?"

"But I like Foxy most!" one of the kids yells, clutching a Foxy plushie to his chest.

"Now, I get that, but Foxy isn't feeling good right now—"

"I can help Foxy!" The kid darts forward, between the adult's legs, and steps right up to the animatronic on stage. He grabs at Foxy's outstretched arm, and the second they connect, it's officially a nightmare.

Luna flinches at the sound; screaming follows, lots of it, and the whole room erupts in panic. She painstakingly raises her face again to get another look. Blood is spattered everywhere—dripping down Foxy's jaw and chest, pooling on the floor, all over the poor victim. The adult who had been trying to clear the area is standing, shell-shocked, with one foot in a growing puddle of red.

"Wait, don't run away! I didn't—I didn't mean to!"

Luna is so preoccupied watching the chaos that she is startled by Foxy suddenly reawakening.

The animatronic is standing on stage, alone, as the screaming children funnel toward the door. The room glitches once, twice, three times in an extreme bout of static.

"Don't leave me!"

Luna is slammed out of the nightmare as it ends, ending up floating just above the path in the dreamscape. Her heart hammers in her chest; the grisly sight leaves a sour taste in her mouth.

_I've seen enough, _Luna thinks, and the next second, she's back in her room. She sits up. Her mind races—she doesn't think she's ever been so conflicted in her life. Well, mostly.

The animatronic, Foxy, is the one who wished on her star? Just the fact what she would consider a nonliving being managed to make a wish and dream is strange enough, but for one to be remorseful and sad?

_It seems implausible, but I have just seen it with mine own two eyes, _Luna thinks as she stands from the bed and begins to pace, _but what can I do with this information? This being is from a different world. _The princess pauses in her pacing as she walks past the tall window in her room. Her gaze ends up in the direction of Ponyville, the town a mere smudge from this distance.

_Those little ponies are very good at finding redeeming qualities in those who have partaken in bad things. _Luna feels a stirring of hope within her chest. She smiles lightly. _I shall convene with my sister in the morn. I know of someone who could use a second chance. _

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Luna? Other worlds can be dangerous by themselves, let alone creatures from them," Celestia says, "and from what you've told me, this 'Foxy' character seems to be one of the more dangerous ones."

"I do not believe that he is purposely dangerous. What happened was indeed an accident, and I felt his regret and sadness at his actions," Luna explains. "I know it may be hard for you to understand, but I felt some sort of . . . connection. His feelings are very similar to how mine were after the Elements of Harmony freed me of the Nightmare, and I think that leaving this being—however strange he and the world around him may be—alone and desolate is no way to live a life."

Celestia watches her sister closely, examining her. Tilting her head, she continues, "So you'd like to transport him here to help him overcome these thoughts?"

Luna nods.

The sun princess breaks into a light smile. "Well then, I won't stop you; I am confident in your ability to assess the situation and help this creature. What do you plan to do with him once he is here?"

"There's an exceptional group of ponies that comes to mind," Luna replies with a knowing smirk.

"Yes, there is." Celestia lets a small laugh escape before she turns to leave her sister's chamber. "Don't allow me to keep your goal at bay—do what you think is right. Now, however, I have royal duties to attend to. You, my sister, may rest now." With that, the eldest goddess exits the room, doors closing behind her.

Luna, now alone, turns to the window. She will rest, of course; it's daylight, and she's tired from her nightly duties. She will have to access the dreamscape again to track down Foxy's person in order to cast any spell, so it will wait until night falls. She watches the dawn for a moment before drawing her curtains closed and retiring to her bed.

* * *

Foxy's circuits whir loudly as he suddenly jerks awake from his resting state. Confused, he looks around the room; the camera isn't on yet, indicating that it's not yet midnight. He typically spends most the day powered off, waiting for roaming mode to begin.

_What time is it?_ he wonders, sitting up. Immediately, his circuits buzz angrily, and Foxy's senses go haywire. He can't feel himself anymore; it's almost like he's not inside his own suit. He tries to push himself to his feet and stumbles, unsure of where his limbs are.

"W-what the-? Am I malfunctionin'?" Foxy asks aloud as he inspects his hand and hook. He shakes each arm, trying to get some feeling back into them, but he still just feels as though they're not there.

_Damn,_ the pirate swears. The room is practically spinning around him; something is definitely wrong with his controls. He won't be able to fix himself, and the only one who can actually do something is . . .

Foxy thinks a shiver goes up his spine, but of course, he has no idea because he's currently having his out-of-body experience. The last thing he wants to do is even walk to the Show Stage, let alone ask Freddy to take a look at his circuits. But that's the only option unless he just wants to wait this out and hope it goes away.

_Please let Freddy be in a good mood tonight, _Foxy whimpers internally as he peeks his head out of Pirate Cove to glance down the dark hallway. He finds it hard to walk right, not knowing if he's actually putting his feet where he wants them, but he needs to find out why he's feeling like this—that is, nothing at all. His whole body seems far away, out of his reach.

Foxy drags himself to the doorway of the Show Stage and hesitates, staying in the shadows of the hallway to avoid being seen. Does he really want to risk being snapped at and embarrassed? Fighting internally with himself, he shifts nervously where he's leaning up against the wall.

"Foxy, what're you doing?" Freddy asks gruffly as the pirate appears in the doorway, nearly tripping over his feet as he takes a step. The bear is sitting on a table adjacent to the stage.

Foxy finds it hard to respond at first, with all these eyes on him—behind Freddy, onstage, Bonnie and Chica are peering at him with flat expressions.

"I, uh, think there's somethin' wrong with my, um, c-circuits," Foxy stutters, taking another step closer. He's usually not allowed in the Show Stage, and he hesitates to go any farther in.

Freddy's eyes narrow, but only for a brief moment, and he beckons the pirate forward with a mechanical finger. Foxy hurries over, knowing Freddy doesn't like to be kept waiting, even though he's probably walking with a limp right now.

The bigger animatronic turns Foxy around when he closes the distance; Foxy knows he can't feel anything, but subconsciously he thinks he can sense Freddy opening the panel on his back. The phantom sensation and the thought of the bear looking into his already damaged circuits makes Foxy feel exposed and vulnerable. He knows that if Freddy truly wanted him shut off, he would have done it way back when, but still, the pirate fears that his boss will do just that. Bonnie and Chica are also there, watching, putting him more on edge.

"Hmm . . . nothing seems more out of place than normal," Freddy eventually says, apparently done with his inspection.

Foxy twitches in surprise when he finally hears something besides his own anxious thoughts, but quickly recuperates and says, "B-but I can't feel anythin'!" He turns around despite not knowing if Freddy has already closed his control panel and sees an annoyed expression on the bear's face.

"You've always been glitchy. I don't know what to tell you," Freddy says. "There's nothing to fix."

"Then why do I feel—"

"Foxy." Freddy's tone is sharp now, obviously done with the situation. The pirate's argument dissolves and he's sure he's shrinking in on himself now. "Go back to the Cove."

Foxy refrains from whimpering and just drops his shoulders, unhappy. He hasn't gotten the solution he was hoping for, and now he's stuck feeling nothing. He turns around and walks unsteadily towards the door, yearning for the solitude of his room.

"M . . . Maybe roaming mode will help you feel better?" Chica calls as Foxy's leaving, and the words surprise him; she is slightly warmer to him than the two others, but she still doesn't go out of her way to talk to or see him. Foxy glances over his shoulder briefly and sees her shrug lightly, a strange look on her face. He nods once, acknowledging her words and continues on.

_So stupid, stupid,_ stupid! _Why did ya_ _bother? Now Freddy dislikes ya_ _even more, _Foxy berates himself. He trips into Pirate Cove, frustrated with himself. He still can't feel anything physically and it's wearing on his nerves—he doesn't like it! He honestly wants to throw a temper tantrum in his room, but he knows it won't solve anything.

Foxy places his hand on the edge of the fake ship onstage and sighs—he's tired, and he wishes it were midnight already. He decides to just power off again until then, like every other night, but the decision ends up being not his as his legs give out under him and he hits the floor.

* * *

"Now, now, Angel Bunny, slow down. You don't want to trip and hurt yourself," Fluttershy admonishes, watching as her pet bounds carelessly over the field. There's plenty of gopher holes and rocks strewn about at this time of year, but it's also where she comes to gather wild strawberries and other natural food sources.

Angel stops atop a small mound of dirt and squeaks at her, rolling his eyes. Fluttershy merely smiles and continues walking, searching the busy field. She spots a small strawberry plant and stops to pick them off the stem, placing them in a sectioned part of the basket she is carrying on her back. She hears Angel start a chase with a nearby wild ferret and laughs as she finishes her task.

"I'll just be farther along if you need me!" Fluttershy calls to the energetic pair. She flies over a rocky knoll in her hunt for herbs.

"Hmm, plenty of other animals have been here this season. Slim pickings, it seems," she murmurs to herself as she sees a large swath of nibbled plants. The pegasus stops to gather a few leaves of a rather stripped sage plant and then looks up, realizing she's gotten much closer to the Everfree Forest than she's comfortable with. Nervously, she swallows, unable to refrain from gazing into the dark depths.

"Well, would you look at the time, it's getting dark, I should really get back home," Fluttershy says to herself, smiling even though she's becoming increasingly paranoid. She quickly turns, taking note of the stars appearing in the growing dusk.

"Angel? Angel!" Fluttershy calls out as she hurriedly begins to trot back the way she came. "Let's go home, it's getting late—"

The pegasus lets out a frightened scream as an angry roar sounds from behind her, and she dives for cover inside the nearest patch of long grass. Cowering, she remains there for several long moments, her heart pounding. After hearing nothing terrifying for another minute, she pokes her head up above the grass, her ears and large teal eyes visible.

_Where did that come from? _Fluttershy asks, glancing around. The field is quiet, the dry rustle of grass all she can hear, but her attention turns to the Everfree Forest sitting menacingly in front of her.

Furious barking sounds from the direction of the forest, and the pegasus shivers at the calls of Timberwolves. They sound as if they're on a hunt, and Fluttershy winces as she realizes the cry she'd heard was probably the poor animal they're after.

_It's the way of life, no need to freak out, _she tells herself, even though she feels awful knowing what's going to happen. She doesn't like thinking about animals dying at all.

Fluttershy once again yelps in fear as another cry comes from the forest, and her blood runs cold; that sounded so . . . _alive,_ as if it was a pony being chased down.

"Oh, no, I can't possibly walk away if that's a pony in there!" Fluttershy panics, eyes wide and fearful. She prances in place, not knowing what to do. Finally, she summons all her bravery and dashes forward, leaving her basket behind. "Oh, I'm coming!" She knows she would want someone to help her if she was in danger, and her conscience would never be the same if she walked away now.

Fluttershy follows the barking of the Timberwolves, allowing their chase to help her own. She just needs to try and find their target before they get ahold of them.

The forest is getting increasingly darker, however, making it hard to see properly. The pegasus takes to the sky, soaring above the canopy to try and get a better view. She squints her eyes, searching desperately, and finally catches a glimpse of the pack as they tear their way through the forest, barking loudly.

A burst of relief surges through Fluttershy, and she can't help but smile as she passes the Timberwolves in their pursuit. She dives down, back under the canopy, and sees a blur of red. She takes note of the direction and turns. The Timberwolves need to be sent packing, so she'll have to think of something quick. The group of dogs appear in her vision, and as they reach her, they snarl and begin to surround the seemingly defenseless pegasus.

* * *

Foxy groans. He can feel his body now, it seems; his circuits are fried. Limbs heavy, Foxy pushes himself off his back and sits up. He puts his hand to his head and sighs, disliking how groggy he feels.

The pirate finally opens his eyes and is met with a sight worse than the Show Stage. Instantly, Foxy is alert and awake, and he scrambles to his feet. Everywhere he looks, there's trees, and the air is permeated with a peaty smell.

"Where the hell am I?" Foxy gasps, distraught, his eyes searching the immediate area. He's definitely not in Freddy Fazbear's anymore. He turns in circles, trying to get his bearings, but there's nothing here he would even possibly be able to recognize. Fear grips his mind, and Foxy stiffens, servos locking up.

_No, no, now is not the time for freezin_'_! I have to get outta_ _here—wherever _here _is, _the pirate thinks frantically. He holds his arms close to his body, and the tingly sensation he always gets near the window is back, and Foxy shivers. Ears tipped back, he wishes it's all just some very life-like dream, even as he realizes this is far from that.

"A-anyone there?" Foxy yells to the air, frantically hoping someone will hear him. He doesn't even know who 'someone' would be, but whatever, it's got to be better than being in a foreign place all alone.

Desperate, Foxy shouts, "Freddy?" He glances around, eyes bright in the darkening forest. "Bonnie? Chica?" The pirate listens for anything else, and upon receiving nothing but the chirping of bugs and the eerie silence, he growls in frustration and fear. "Is anyone there!?" His voice echoes through the trees, and he feels so stupid and pathetic for feeling like he's on the verge of tears, but he's alone and lost and where is _home—_

A scuffle of sound from behind him makes Foxy spin around. Searching the darkness, he takes a cautious step toward the source.

"H-hello?" the animatronic says. He doesn't see anything at first, so he takes another step to get a closer look. Suddenly, multiple pairs of yellow eyes appear in the darkness, and Foxy recoils as snarling rumbles through the trees.

The pirate backsteps, frightened, and as he does, shapes take form in the dusk's low light. Growling, creatures slink from the trees, flanking him. Saliva drips from their wooden jaws, and Foxy finds himself shaking. These things look hungry.

"Look, d-doggies, I won't taste good, trust me," Foxy spouts nervously, still backing away. "Too metallic, ya know?"

_Ah, I'm as good as scrap right now, _Foxy thinks fearfully. _I gotta_ _get 'em_ _away from me somehow—maybe I can scare 'em_ _away? _

The dogs bare their teeth, and Foxy puts up a tough front. "Oh, yeah, think you're so scary? I got teeth, too!"

_Though I can't really use 'em, _Foxy admits, seeing as how his jaw is broken. The only reason he's able to speak is because the animatronics' mouths are really just for show, to feign the act of talking, even though all that matters are their voice speakers.

Even still, the animatronic growls in return, his own metallic canines glinting. The dogs approach regardless, unphased. Fur standing on end, he roars furiously at the pack. The dogs don't seem to care at all; they howl and then launch themselves at the pirate.

Foxy barely manages to evade the initial attack, leaping back from the dogs' range. One thing he's always been good at is being quick, and it seems that's going to come in handy right about now.

Foxy springs into action and bolts, crashing through the forest's dense foliage. He does his best to avoid tree roots and other underbrush that'll just slow him down; he needs to get away as fast as possible.

The dogs bark at his heels, just behind him. One false move and they'll be on him.

_Come on come on come on come on! Where's the exit? _Foxy hopes if he can just get out of this forest, he'll be free to move faster, without all this stuff in his way; right now, he's slowed down by the denseness of the forest, having to dodge obstacles.

Foxy trips over a hidden tree root, his foot getting caught by it. He stumbles heavily, nearly falling to all fours, and it's such a waste of time that the dogs are on top of him.

The animatronic cries out in pain as one of the dogs bites onto his exposed endoskeleton, and the yell rebounds across the forest. Foxy catches the biter with his hook and rips it off his leg, smashing the dog into pieces. Hope ignites in his chest at the sight, and he manages to destroy a few other dogs and get running again.

Foxy's hope is quickly put out, however, as he glances over his shoulder to see the dogs putting themselves back together somehow. He lets out a sound of dismay at the sight but decides to just focus on getting away as fast as possible.

The sounds of the dogs begin to fade as Foxy gains more ground. It's a bit more open here, with a faded game path, so he's able to put some real distance between them.

Finally, when Foxy can no longer hear the dogs, he slows to a halt, nearly limping. He's too big to really hide anywhere worthwhile, so all he can do is press himself against a large tree and wait. His ears swivel, listening for any indication of the dogs. It isn't long, however, before he hears the sound of something else approaching.

* * *

Fluttershy glares, her eyes widening and becoming very intense.

"How dare you chase a poor creature that's not even your food? You all need to go further back into the forest and find something else! You don't belong this close to the edge!" Fluttershy admonishes fiercely, making eye contact with each of the wolves. "You should be ashamed, hunting like this! Now, go, all of you!"

The Timberwolves shift and whimper under the power of the Stare, and eventually, the pack leader seems to order a retreat because the dogs silently dissolve back into the shadows. Satisfied, Fluttershy wipes her brow, smiling. She turns on wing and flies in the direction she'd seen the pony—or whatever it was—run. She thinks it was a pony, but other sentient creatures do exist in Equestria.

"Hello? Anypony there?" Fluttershy calls, flying slowly along. She keeps her voice low, not wanting to frighten whoever it is. She's following a smudgy set of prints, but she can't tell who or what they belong to. She inspects hollows under tree roots, small crevices, and other similar hiding places as she continues on. She comes across an exceedingly large tree—although, to be fair, the trees in the Everfree Forest are fairly large already—and doesn't give it more than a second thought until she flies past it. Not until she catches a glimpse of red as she glances left does she stop, realizing whoever she has been searching for isn't hiding _in_ anything.

"Oh, there you are! I—" Fluttershy cuts off as she swivels around fully. She screams involuntarily, leaping back in air. She has no idea what she's looking at.


	2. Agoraphobia

Foxy winces at the strange creature's reaction; her voice is high and loud in her fright, and she bolts into the nearest tree's leaves. He doesn't like that whatever-she-is is scared of him, and he wonders if he should run.

So, he does.

Foxy takes off again, crashing less gracefully through the forest than last time. Branches whip him across the muzzle as he flounders his way around. Growling in frustration at the bothersome obstacles, he's too occupied to realize there's a small pot hole in his path, and the pirate ends up head over tail, landing in the midst of a rather large prickly bush.

Thrashing and trying to untangle his gangly limbs from the brambles, he curses the forest and swears under his breath.

"S-stupid little pokies," Foxy snarls, narrowing his golden eyes at the bush. Amidst his frustrated flailing, he's just managed to ensnare one of his legs in the thorny plant. He doesn't know how he's done it, but he's completely caught in the winding tangle of brambles. The thorns tear at his fur and make it harder to escape, and Foxy growls.

"Do you . . . need some help?"

Foxy jumps; in the middle of the annoying situation, he's forgotten why he was running away again in the first place. The yellow creature is hovering softly above him, her posture tense but less frightened than before.

Foxy hesitates, unsure of himself. He doesn't really want help from some random thing in some random place, but unless he wants to fight tooth and nail to get out of his mess, he's probably going to need some assistance.

* * *

Fluttershy's initial scare fades quickly as she clutches to her tree branch. The appearance of the . . . her thoughts trail off.

_What _was _that thing? It looked kind of like a fox . . . but it also didn't. I don't even know what to think; it was so_ big_, _Fluttershy admits in her head. She taps her chin, racking her brain for a solution. _Well, I certainly can't allow it to run around and hurt itself. Those Timberwolves could be troublesome. _

The pegasus releases her hold on her branch and comes back into the open. To her dismay, the thing is gone.

_It can't be too hard to track; I did it earlier. _

Fluttershy glances around and finds a fresh trail of prints. She begins following them, keeping her eyes peeled and ears pricked. She expects her search to take a little longer, but upon floating under a large tree branch, she hears snarling. She pauses, frowning, before flying quietly forward, between two forked trees.

_Oh, my . . . seems it's a bit stuck, _Fluttershy notes, feeling a small twinge of amusement despite herself. It's twisted up in a large bramble patch. She doesn't know what the thing is, but she could never leave it to struggle. She pushes herself into the open, rubbing her forehooves together nervously.

"Do you . . . need some help?" she asks.

The fox thing's head pops up, and its body twists around to look at her. Fluttershy makes herself as non-threatening as she can; she knows how cornered animals can be. There are several moments of no answer, and the pegasus fears the thing will actually refuse.

But right as she's about to speak up again, it nods reluctantly.

_Oh, good, I would hate to have to help you against your wishes, _Fluttershy thinks, landing on the ground next to it. She reaches a hoof forward, but the thing flinches and tugs away just enough for her to notice. She pulls her hoof back to show no mean intent.

"I won't hurt you, promise. I'll be as gentle as I can; there's no need to be scared," the pegasus soothes, giving it her warmest smile. The thing shifts in the brambles, obviously uncomfortable. Fluttershy once again lifts her hoof to begin the task of untangling the thorny vines wrapped around its arms.

"So . . . what's your name?" Fluttershy asks. She doesn't want to keep calling it an 'it' the entire time she's here. "My name's Fluttershy."

It glances over at her; she thinks it won't answer at all this time, and she's not even sure if it _can_ speak.

_What is this thing? It's not flesh_ _and blood . . . _

Fluttershy takes note of the fact she isn't going to receive a response as it turns its head away again, and she accepts that. Instead, she goes back to removing the brambles, being cautious as to how she's going about it.

The pegasus tugs at a seemingly easy to remove bramble, but the thing flinches at the action and twists away.

"Oh, I'm sorry—did I make it scratch you? I thought it was looser than it is, apparently," Fluttershy says, readjusting her grip on the bramble before finally pulling it away. She's almost done getting the thing all untangled, and she hopes it won't bolt again as soon as she finishes.

Those hopes are quickly dashed as the last thorny hold is taken away; the fox thing immediately throws itself out of the brambles and scrambles away.

"W-wait, don't run away!" Fluttershy calls. She poises to speed after it, but finds herself not needing to as the thing actually hesitates. She watches it for a long moment, her eyes wide and asking, and soon enough, it settles into a crouch and stares back at her.

"Oh, thank you for not running. You don't have to be scared—I work with animals all the time," Fluttershy says. She takes a cautious step closer, watching its reaction carefully; like this, she slowly approaches. "Would you like to come back to my cottage with me? You don't have to worry about the scary Timberwolves and other creatures like you would out here."

Fluttershy tilts her head slightly at the thing, awaiting a response. It looks conflicted, and she's surprised she can read so much emotion on its face.

_It's not living, per say, but it's alive. Metal? Some sort of robot? _Fluttershy wonders as she stands there quietly.

"If you don't want to, that's fine, but . . . I'd feel better if you were somewhere safe. Do you understand?" she asks gently. Fluttershy stands right in front of it now, and at this height, she is about even with its face when it's crouched. Still, it doesn't respond.

Unnerved, Fluttershy backs up several feet and promptly splays out in the soft grass like a cat. She begins idly preening her wings as she awaits some sort of response.

* * *

Foxy watches the tiny yellow horse—what'd she call herself, Fluttershy?— lay down and fiddle with her wings. He doesn't understand why she's trying to help him or wants to know his name; it just doesn't make any sense. No one cares about him, so why would this random entity from another world?

Foxy remains crouched as she does her business without any sort of hurry or frustration. She doesn't seem affected by him not responding, or even by what he is anymore. He's easily twice as big as her, if not a little more, so it leaves him confused as to why she's not gone already.

Part of him wants to answer and talk to her and ask her where in the world he is, but . . .

Foxy shifts uncomfortably at the thought of interaction with this 'Fluttershy' and regrets the fact his shyness is getting the better of him. Again. He notices one of her ears twitch in his direction at the sound of grass crumpling under his feet.

But he also has no idea where he is or why he's here, and if he's to get any answer to these questions, she's probably his best bet. Not to even mention the fact that Foxy _is _scared of his predicament, and he wants someone to help him.

Even though he sits in Pirate Cove all day, alone, it doesn't mean he _wants_ to be. Company is nice—as long as it's not another animatronic.

_I'll never get home if I'm too much of a scaredy_ _fox to even look for answers—besides, I don't like this creepy forest, _Foxy thinks with a small shudder.

Finally, after much internal debate, Foxy creaks out a hesitant response:

"M' name's Foxy."

The reaction is immediate. Fluttershy's head perks up, ears alert, and she looks over at him.

"Oh, you _can _talk! That's wonderful," she says as she gets to her hooves. She stretches her wings before tucking them back to her sides. "So, Foxy, how did you end up in the Everfree Forest?"

Foxy pales at the question because he really doesn't have any idea. All he knows is he was in the pizzeria when he felt all weird, then he passed out and woke up here. Instead of explaining what little he does know, Foxy just shrugs sheepishly at her.

Fluttershy frowns, but doesn't press further. Instead, she continues, "Okay. That's fine. Maybe we can find out how. But for the time being, why don't you come with me back to my cottage? Then we don't have to spend any more time in the Everfree Forest. Strange things happen here all the time, and we'll be safer inside."

Foxy hesitates, but eventually nods. "A-aye, that sounds like a . . . good idea."

Fluttershy beams; Foxy finds it strange that she's so happy he's agreeing to come with her. Afterall, she doesn't even know him!

_Maybe things are more different outside the pizzeria than I thought, _Foxy admits internally. _Unless she's the _only _one like this . . . _

Foxy shakes the thought from his mechanical mind for now, not wanting to worry about it for the next few hours. He already has enough that's gnawing at him.

Fluttershy, during his internal conflict, has already turned and taken a few steps in the opposite direction. Foxy notices her glance over her shoulder expectantly and he hurriedly stands up from his crouch.

"Just follow me, okay? I know the way back, and you wouldn't want to get lost out here again," Fluttershy explains gently. She gives him a small smile at his responding nod and once again continues onward. Foxy follows her diligently.

He has a bit of a harder time of navigating the forest than she does, as he's over twice as tall and has to continuously push vines out of his face or duck under tree branches. But he never loses sight of her; Fluttershy's yellow is hard to miss, even in the darkness.

Amidst the trek through the forest, Foxy's attention begins to wander. He still maintains his pace in following Fluttershy, but he finds himself noticing the smaller details in the forest. Large, low-growing flowers bloom in the underbrush; unidentified creatures zip through the overhead tree branches, travelling without being seen; tangled vines that creep over the forest floor. He wonders what else lives in this strange place.

Foxy's so deep in his own thoughts that he almost misses when Fluttershy starts talking.

"My cottage is just over these fields. It'll be lighter when we finally leave the Everfree because the stars will be out, which will be nice," Fluttershy says as she walks. The trees suddenly stop a few feet in front of them—the edge of the forest. She strolls out into the moonlight, fully expecting Foxy to follow her.

Except Foxy doesn't follow her, instead slamming to a halt at the last line of trees. His circuits freeze, and he gets that strange feeling again, the one that makes him nervous.

"Foxy?"

Fluttershy's voice calls out to him. Foxy jerks his head down to look at her. She's gazing up at him with a concerned expression on her face.

"Are you okay?"

Foxy doesn't answer; he doesn't know what to say. He feels like he _can't_ follow her—it's just like looking out the window at the end of the hall except he's _outside_ the window and it's just not right—

"I-I can't," the pirate stammers, and he sinks back into a crouch, hiding himself partially behind the thick trunk of a tree. He suddenly realizes why he gets that tingly feeling when he looks out the window into the sky. "I-it's too big, there's too much, I don't—" He cuts off, clinging to the wood, ears down. Shaking, he refuses to look up again, instead flipping his eyepatch down and closing his eyes.

Foxy hears Fluttershy's hoof steps grow nearer, until she's standing right beside him.

"It's okay," she murmurs soothingly. Foxy feels a soft touch on his back, and he realizes she's petting him in an effort to comfort him.

_How pathetic this must look, _Foxy thinks miserably, still not opening his eyes as he cowers.

"What's so bad about going out of the forest?" Fluttershy asks—not judgmentally, just concerned.

Foxy shakes his head, unsure of how to answer. It's so stupid, that he can't just walk out into an open space, but it's just so . . . _empty. _

Finally, he sputters out, "the pizzeria, i-it's confined, limited—I've never _been_ outside, ever, and it's too, t-too big, I can't," he digs his fingers into the tree trunk, "'m sorry, this is so _dumb_—"

Fluttershy gently shushes him, continuing her soothing motions over his back. "It's okay to be scared, Foxy. There's nothing 'dumb' about it. I'm scared of lots of things; the Everfree Forest scares me, in fact. But sometimes we have to face our fears."

Foxy finally opens one eye, peeking over at her. Fluttershy is looking at him with eyes caring and understanding, and Foxy can't believe that this _little horse from another world_ is the first one to show him any compassion since '87. But something about her words and her actions make him feel better, and he uncurls himself enough to switch positions and sit down for real, leaning against the tree instead.

"Why . . . why are ya bein' so nice to me? Ya don't even know me, or what I am," Foxy murmurs, "but you're helpin' me. I don't get it."

"Oh, don't be so silly," Fluttershy replies with a wave of her hoof, and Foxy tilts his head in confusion. "I'm not going to just leave you out here on your own. Even if you are unlike anything I've ever seen, it doesn't mean you don't deserve help. Everybody should be treated with kindness."

"But—"

"—_And, _if that means making sure you can get to somewhere you'll be safe, I'll make sure you can do it." Fluttershy smiles gently at him, setting a delicate hoof on his knee.

Foxy glances over his shoulder to once again look into the distance. The open fields seem endless and enormous, and he winces.

"I . . . still don't know if I can do it," the pirate admits, his voice low.

"We can stay here for a while, if you want," Flutteryshy says.

Foxy casts a sideways glance at her, unsure. He doesn't even want to take one step into the open, so how's he supposed to go however long to get to Fluttershy's house?

"Maybe ya should just leave me 'ere," Foxy admits, shoulders drooping. "I'm not your problem . . ."

_It's what anyone else would do. _

Fluttershy looks shocked, as if she's appalled that he would ever even suggest the idea.

"Why do you keep acting as if you shouldn't be saved? As if you're worth less to me than anyone else in the same sort of situation?" she asks, a frown on her face.

"I'm just a stranger!" Foxy blurts out, his emotions getting the better of him. He feels a snarl growing in his throat. "Why aren't ya scared 'a me? If ya were anythin' like people back home, you'd've left me to rust soon as ya saw me!"

Fluttershy is obviously startled by his outburst and she flinches, one wing coming up to shield her face. Foxy realizes just how close he got to her and retracts, settling back down again. He looks away in shame, embarrassed by his little show.

There's the sound of feathers ruffling from his left, and Foxy thinks maybe Fluttershy did leave after that; he wouldn't blame her if she did. Afterall, he wanted her to run away . . . right?

_Went and showed her the monster ya_ _really are, huh? Good job, scarin_' _away everybody. _Foxy sighs softly to himself. _Well, it's probably fer_ _the best anyhow. I'm used to bein_' _alone. Everyone's a whole lot safer without me 'round. _

Foxy finally glances over to see if she truly did leave, and he has to admit that a part of him is upset to see the space unoccupied. Fluttershy has flown away, leaving the animatronic to wallow in his confusing whirl of emotions by himself.

Foxy sags against the tree trunk and has the urge to just power down.

"Feel better now?" Fluttershy asks suddenly from his left.

Foxy jumps at her voice, not having expected to see her again. He turns his head and sees her standing there, looking at him her head tipped to one side.

"H-huh?" the pirate stammers. He doesn't understand what she means, or even why she's back.

"You threw your little fit, and I want to know if you feel better now."

Foxy's circuits heat up at her words. He scratches at the ground with his fingers, unsure of how to respond. She's called him out, and he has to admit he doesn't feel as agitated as he just did.

Without a reasonable answer (and also because he's embarrassed), he just shrugs and doesn't meet her gaze.

"I'll take that as a yes," Fluttershy continues. She sits down again. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Foxy _does not. _

He shrugs.

Fluttershy hums. "We will later, okay? But for now, let's please get to my cottage?"

Foxy tenses and glances into the open space fearfully before Fluttershy clicks repeatedly at him, drawing his attention back to her.

"Hey, don't think about how you're afraid of it; I have an idea. Why don't you just close your eyes, and I can guide you until we're back at my place?"

Foxy cocks his head, confused.

"If you don't know you're in the open, it shouldn't be as scary, right? No difference between walking outside and walking inside if your eyes are closed." Fluttershy offers a small smile and shrugs, looking hopeful. "No harm in trying, right?"

_I really doubt just closin_' _my eyes'll_ _somehow help me be less of a coward, _Foxy thinks, _but I suppose she's right. Wouldn't hurt to try . . . an' I still wanna_ _get outta_ _here . . . _

Somewhat regretfully, Foxy nods in agreement to Fluttershy's proposal. She perks up, a grin on her lips.

"Oh, that's perfect!" she coos. "Now, let's get started."

Fluttershy motions for Foxy to get to his feet, and he does. The end of the trees is only a foot away now, and he does his best to not think about how never-ending this world seems and how _empty and spacious and dark and lonely—_

Foxy shakes his head and attempts to ignore the trembling in his circuits. He stands there, at the forest's edge, with Fluttershy right next to him—though she hardly stands up to his waist.

"It's okay; my cottage isn't far. Close your eyes and then tell me how you feel," Fluttershy directs, gazing up at him. Foxy does as she asks and shuts his remaining eye, the other already covered by his eyepatch.

There are several moments of silence on both ends before Fluttershy prompts again, "Are you okay?"

"M-maybe, I dunno," Foxy admits, eyebrows furrowed. "It's . . . b-better, I think?"

"Wonderful. Let's take it slow from here." Foxy hears Fluttershy's wings buzzing, and soon after, a soft touch on his shoulder. "Just do as I say, alright? I'll guide you. Go forward?"

Foxy nervously obeys, feeling as the air pressure shifts and no longer feels as stifling. There's a slight breeze now that they're out of the forest, and the pirate whines in his throat at the knowledge he's out in the open.

"Shh, it's all okay. You're doing great so far. Just keep walking . . ."

* * *

**A/N: Expect lots of Foxy characterization in these beginning chapters especially. They're not too eventful but things will start to get more interesting as we continue. :) Also the animatronics definitely don't line up with current FNaF lore (like the previous story as well), so no dead children's souls or anything. **


	3. Luna

**A/N: Sorry for the long ass time away, I really lost all inspiration to write for a few months. I **_**do**_ **want to finish this story in the long run and have no plans of abandoning it when I only just rebooted it. **

**Also, since I am the writer and I can do what I want (heh), I'm placing this sometime between Seasons 2-3 instead of Season 1 because I want a little more leeway to give the characters their development. (Mostly so I can make Fluttershy** **more confident.)** _**Also**_ **also, just like the original version, this Equestria** **is a bit more technologically advanced. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

It had taken the better part of a half an hour to get back to Fluttershy's cottage; not too long, in retrospect, but the walk between the Everfree Forest and her residence is not that large in the first place.

Upon arriving at her cottage, Fluttershy had allowed Foxy inside where he had promptly curled up on her couch and fallen asleep. Well, "asleep."

She's not entirely sure if he _can_ sleep in the literal sense. Foxy has his back to her, and from where Fluttershy is standing near the doorway, she can see there's no rhythmic pattern of breathing or any typical sign of life.

_Foxy is some sort of robot, that's for sure,_ Fluttershy thinks. _But where did he come from? Why was he in the Everfree_ _Forest? Oh, I have so many unanswered questions._ She glances over her shoulder to the window; it's still late. _I'll wait until the morning to go see Twilight._

Fluttershy perks up when Angel squeaks angrily at her from the floor.

"Oh, I know he's in your favorite spot, but you can sleep in my bed, Angel Bunny. Besides, he's already asleep—remember that it's important to share," Fluttershy chides as she starts towards the stairs. Angel huffs and thumps the floor with a back paw before bouncing off to the kitchen.

Fluttershy travels up the stairs to her bedroom. She's tired from the night's events and wants to get some shuteye before going to Twilight. As she drifts off to sleep, images of pirates dance in her mind.

* * *

Fluttershy sets off for the Golden Oak Library early the next morning. She wants to get there and back before Foxy wakes up, but if she doesn't, she hopes he'll be fine by himself. Though part of her thinks he'd be more than fine.

"Hello, Twilight? Are you here?" Fluttershy asks as she peeks her head inside the library. She glances around before entering fully, and is soon met with the sight of the pony she's looking for.

"Hey, Fluttershy! What's up?" Twilight calls as she trots down the stairs, a book held in her magic. She places it back onto its appropriate shelf without even looking as she comes to stand in front of the pegasus.

"Well, I was hoping to talk to you about something? It's important."

Twilight blinks, perking up. "Yes? What is it?"

"I—"

"Twilight!" a voice interrupts. Fluttershy jumps, startled, while Twilight just twists around to see Spike come running downstairs, a letter clutched in his scaly hand. "You've got a letter from Princess Luna!"

"Oh, wow! She rarely sends _me_ letters! Read it, would you, Spike?" Twilight asks.

Spike skids to a stop in front of the two mares and unfurls the scroll. He clears his throat and begins reading, "'Dear Twilight Sparkle, I have a very important task for you and your friends. Please gather in the library at noon so I may speak with all of you. Sincerely, Princess Luna.'"

Twilight taps her chin with a hoof. "An important task? What in the world could that mean?"

Fluttershy swallows, wondering if the thing she caught last night has anything to do with Luna's letter.

"Is everything all right, Fluttershy?" the unicorn asks, seeing her friend's pinched expression.

"O-oh, yes, everything is fine! W-why wouldn't it be?" Fluttershy says sheepishly.

"She's probably just nervous about seeing Princess Luna again," Spike chimes in.

"Oh, Fluttershy, there's no need to be worried! I'm sure whatever she's going to tell us isn't anything too bad," Twilight says. Fluttershy exhales softly, glad that they've misread her worry and she can wait until after Luna comes to have her questions answered. "We have about an hour to gather all of our friends. Come on, let's go get everypony."

* * *

Princess Luna enters the library with regal purpose, before dropping it and giving the ponies in the room a small smile.

"Greetings, my little ponies. I am glad you all could make it," Luna says. "The reason I have called you here is because I have a task of the upmost importance to bestow upon you, if you are willing."

"Don't worry, Princess, we're more than willing!" Twilight declares, puffing her chest out proudly.

"Yeah! No baddie can scare us!" Rainbow Dash brags. "Just tell us who you need vanquished!"

Princess Luna laughs, a melodic sound that makes the ponies pause.

"Oh, my little ponies, I have not called you forth to defeat an enemy. No, this time, unlike previous encounters, you will be _saving_ another!" Luna explains, an amused smile still on her face.

"Huh? We're gonna be _saving_ somepony?" Dash gapes. The group exchanges perplexed glances.

"During my time listening to the wishes and dreams of all, I came across a poor, lost soul in dire need of help and redemption. And, if I am to believe in anything, it has to be that everyone deserves a second chance. You've all taught me that after my time as Nightmare Moon."

"So . . . you found somepony that's . . . bad but isn't really bad? I'm afraid I'm unsure of what you're asking of us," Rarity admits, and the other mares nod in agreement.

"Firstly, I must explain who it is that I have found. I understand this part may be confusing, but the soul I have found is not one who exists in Equestria, but instead, somewhere far away, perhaps even another world," Luna continues.

"Whoa! That's so cool!" Pinkie Pie blurts loudly, even over the 'awes' of the others.

Luna nods, her lips upturned in a smile. "Indeed. However, this one's life has been tainted by bloodshed and heartbreak and has had a lifetime of loneliness thrust upon them. They wished for a chance at redemption, and I, hearing their cry, knew how they felt. So, I've brought them to Equestria for that reason—I know you ponies can help this lost soul recover."

"Princess, you can count on us to help whoever is in need. But I have to say, you haven't told us much about them. What are they, what's their name, what happened to them?" Twilight says.

Luna nods in understanding. "I know I am being vague. Part of it is for a reason—I will not indulge in the secrets this soul is keeping. Earn their trust, and they may tell you. It is not for me to give away. However, the other things I will answer, of course.

"From this unknown place, I have pulled a creature unlike any we've seen. He is not human, nor animal, but machine."

Fluttershy turns white, nearly all of the color vanishing from her face. Luna doesn't notice this. She continues.

"This creature's name is Foxy, and, well, he looks like a large fox that walks bipedally. He's not dangerous, though he may look intimidating, but fear not, for he has no goal of hurt in his heart. The Everfree Forest is where the place between worlds is thinnest, so my spell has taken him there in his transport to Equestria. Find him, my little ponies, and bring him here so that we may speak with him."

"We're all over it, Princess! We'll find this big fox and bring him back!" Rainbow declares, leaping into the air.

"I hope he's nice! You think he's nice?" Pinkie asks, getting into Applejack's face.

Pushing the pink pony out of her comfort zone, Applejack responds, "If the Princess is right, Ah'm sure he'll be friendly."

"Um, I have something to say . . ." Fluttershy says, but her voice is so quiet that nopony hears her and they just continue speaking.

"What if he doesn't want to come with us? What then?" Rarity asks.

"I'm sure he won't be that stubborn. Who likes the Everfree Forest enough to stay there?" Dash replies.

"Yeah, that place is totally creepy!" Spike says.

"Time is of the essence, my little ponies. You must go," Luna interrupts.

"But Princess, I actually have to tell you something," Fluttershy tries again, but is drowned out.

"Right! Let's go, girls!" Twilight yells.

"Yeah!" comes the resounding response from the four other mares. The five of them race toward the door, but Fluttershy finally jumps in front of them and exclaims:

"STOP!"

The rest of the Main Six, plus Luna and Spike behind them, stop and look at the pegasus with wide eyes. Fluttershy swallows nervously and stands taller, trying to look confident.

"I've been trying to tell you all something," she says, a little out of breath from yelling. "I was in the Everfree Forest last night—I already _found_ Foxy! In fact, this morning, I came to the library to tell Twilight that, but then Princess Luna came and I waited!"

Seven faces stared at Fluttershy, surprise written across every expression. Very quickly, however, Luna smiles fondly and approaches the pegasus.

"Excellent work, Fluttershy! I had no idea you had such courage to venture into the Everfree Forest at night and confront a strange creature such as Foxy. I'm proud," Luna says. Fluttershy turns a bit red in the face and hides behind her hair.

"I-it wasn't that bad, I heard him getting chased by Timberwolves and couldn't just turn away . . ." She scrapes a hoof against the floor.

"Whoa, you got away from Timberwolves? Awesome job, Shy!" Rainbow praises, grinning.

"What else happened?"

"Where is he now?"

"Is he nice?"

The flurry of questions leaves Fluttershy overwhelmed. Luna, seeing her struggle, steps forward and shushes the others.

"Easy now, girls," the princess says. She turns to Fluttershy and rests a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "What happened last night?"

Fluttershy begins to tell the story of her night, from hearing the roaring in the forest to attempting to get Foxy to cross the fields to her cottage. The others listen intently, impressed with the coy pegasus' actions.

"That is indeed quite a tale. And now Foxy is at your cottage?" Luna confirms.

Fluttershy nods.

"Well then. Perhaps we should go there since he is already. We can skip bringing him through town."

"That . . . would make sense. But . . . would you mind, Princess, if when we get there, you let me go in alone first?" Fluttershy asks. "J-just to make sure Foxy is okay?"

"Of course. I understand." Luna dips her head briefly, then stands straight again and glances around at the group. "Well, let's be off."

* * *

Foxy powers back on.

_Slowly. _

Pushing himself into a sitting position, the animatronic groans faintly and opens his eyes. He forgets where he is for a moment and nearly panics, but then remembers the previous night's events and sighs.

_Too bad this wasn't all a dream,_ Foxy thinks tiredly. Well, it was obvious he didn't enter roaming mode last night, or else he wouldn't remember anything, and also, he definitely wouldn't feel so _low_ on power.

Foxy stands, wobbling on his feet, and practically drags himself over to an open window. He glances outside and sees sweeping fields. This sends a shiver down his spine, and he backs up.

He has no idea what time it is. Typically, he spends his days in low power mode, or listening to the sound of children running past his Cove and wishing he could perform for them again. When the doors were left open, he could hear Freddy and the others singing on the Stage.

"Fluttershy?" Foxy calls out to distract himself. Wherever his hostess is, he would rather be there than sitting here doing nothing. For the first time in a decade, there's someone to talk to, and he's not about to pass that opportunity up. He calls her name again, but there's still no response.

_Would she mind if I went upstairs? Or is it off-limits?_ Foxy asks himself. Because maybe she was up there and just couldn't hear him. And even if she's not, it couldn't hurt to explore this place a bit, right?

Foxy carefully walks up the stairs—they're narrower than he would like, but he's never been up stairs more than three steps tall and he's interested. It's harder than it probably would have been before he got attacked and used up most of his power, but hey, he's glad for something to do.

"Fluttershy?" he calls again as he reaches the top of the stairs. Still no answer. Foxy sees a few open doors and hesitates. He knows he shouldn't snoop, but . . . what harm can it really do? Fluttershy doesn't seem to be home, afterall.

Foxy limps towards the nearest door and peeks his head inside. A bed, a shelf, a nightstand . . . must be her bedroom. He doesn't spend any time in there and instead goes to the next room over. This one is strange. He doesn't think he's ever seen the inside of it at the pizzeria, but he's pretty sure it's a bathroom. Nothing too interesting either.

After nearly tumbling back down the steps, Foxy walks around downstairs. He wishes there was something to do or see, but Fluttershy's place seems fairly normal. He doesn't eat, so the kitchen means nothing, and there's no source of power anywhere that he can plug into, so he's stuck feeling drained.

"Well this is borin'," Foxy grumbles to himself. He flops backwards onto the couch and lays there, just staring up at the ceiling. _I wonder when Fluttershy_ _will be back. _Deciding to power down until then, he closes his eyes.

* * *

Fluttershy cracks the door open and peeks her head inside. She doesn't want to startle Foxy, but it seems she doesn't have to worry about that as he's still asleep on her couch. The pegasus slips inside and pads over to him. Even laying down, he seems exceedingly large, and she wonders briefly how everypony else will react to him.

"Hey, Foxy, it's Fluttershy," she says softly, placing a hoof on his shoulder and shaking lightly. He doesn't move, and she frowns. She taps his forehead with the tip of a hoof, earning a hollow sounding _ting_, and she realizes that since he's a machine, perhaps he's actually turned off and won't respond.

_Does he have a . . . power button somewhere?_ Fluttershy wonders, tapping her chin with a hoof. She bites her lip and squeaks, unsure of how to get him up. She pokes his arm again, expecting no response, but starts when the pirate suddenly whirs into life.

One golden eye meets hers, and Fluttershy laughs sheepishly, taking a step back.

"H-hey," she stammers, "glad to see you're up. Hope I didn't . . . interrupt anything."

Foxy tilts his head and blinks, flipping his eyepatch up. "I was already up earlier. Saw ya weren't here, so I just turned off to preserve power."

"Oh, sorry. I went to town this morning and ended up staying longer than I thought I would." Fluttershy backs up to allow room for Foxy to get to his feet, and she takes wing to hover at his eye level.

"Speaking of . . ." Fluttershy continues, running her hooves over one another, "turns out I know the reason you're here. And also, my friends are outside and would like to meet you."

Foxy pauses, looking at her as if she's crazy. "Why?"

"Why not?"

The animatronic shrugs, unsure of how to explain that he doesn't have friends and no one has been excited to meet him since he was first built. He's not much of a socializer anymore.

"Well . . . we all should talk, and there's some things you should know. There's quite a few of them, though—will you be okay with that? I know crowds can be stifling, especially if you're not used to them," Fluttershy explains.

"Er . . . how many we talkin'?" Foxy asks. The way the pegasus is speaking is making him nervous. Crowds used to fluster him before he really got the hang of his programming, but it's been so long. And he's used to _kids_. He doubts her friends are children.

"There's five of my friends and then there's Princess Luna—she's the one who brought you here."

Foxy scratches the back of his head with his hook. He probably won't end up avoiding any of them, so he might as well just bite the bit and meet them all at once. Looking back at Fluttershy, he nods to let her know she can bring them in.

"Oh, wonderful! I'll call them in; you can sit down or stay standing, whatever makes you comfortable."

Fluttershy flits over to the front door and exits briefly. Foxy hears voices, and then, the door opens again and Fluttershy comes back in. Behind her is a large entourage of other ponies, one of them much taller and more imposing than the rest.

Foxy fights the urge to hide when the ponies crowd into the room, all their eyes on him.

"He's a lot bigger than I thought he'd be," one of them murmurs to another, who nods.

Foxy's tail twitches nervously, and he lets his eyepatch fall back down over his perpetually half-glazed eye. Feeling very self-conscious, he crosses his arms and hunches his shoulders. He's very aware he looks like a freakshow; his endoskeleton is visible in multiple places, his jaw hangs down as if his mouth is always open, and his fur is patchy and dirty. Of all the first impressions, it's not the best.

"Everypony, this is Foxy," Fluttershy says, flying up to introduce the animatronic. She points out each of her friends and names them before nodding to Princess Luna.

"Greetings, Foxy," Luna says as she steps forward. "It is truly my pleasure to meet you. I am Luna, Princess of the Night. I know you may be very confused as to why you are here, but know that I only did so in order to help you. Afterall, your wish is the call that brought you to my attention."

Foxy visibly flinches, his ears twitching. "M-my wish?"

Luna nods. "Yes, your wish. I heard it and could not stand by. This is it being granted, I hope. These six ponies helped me when I felt very similar to how you do now. I have enlisted them to help you."

"H-help me? But why? I-I don't even know who y'all are," Foxy says.

"Just because you don't know someone doesn't mean you can't help them," Fluttershy reminds him, winking.

"Besides, the Princess told us your life sucks, so we're gonna show you how it can be way more awesome!" Rainbow says, which earns an annoyed look from everyone.

Rarity shushes the pegasus and adds, "Despite how crudely Rainbow Dash put that, we'd love to make you feel welcome."

"Yeah! Hey, have you ever had a party? I bet you'd love them; you look like you know how to throw it down!" Pinkie shouts loudly, proceeding to get way too close to Foxy, who shrinks back. "Heh, sorry."

Twilight rolls her eyes. "If you'll let us, we'd like to get to know you," she says with a smile.

"Everypony, er, one, could use a friend or too, an' from what we've heard, you're a might lonely," Applejack says. Foxy flattens his ears at that, but he can't disagree; he literally has no friends.

Princess Luna smiles at the ponies' words. She did pick the most remarkably fit group for this job.

"I am glad I have chosen well. I wish I could stay, but I have duties to attend to in Canterlot. But before I go," the alicorn begins, "I would like to have a word alone with Foxy."

The Main Six quickly back out of the room, leaving the two alone. Foxy taps a foot nervously, feeling warm.

"Foxy, I know what happened that night," Luna says.

Foxy nearly jumps out of his suit at the words. "W-what?! Ya do?!"

"Yes. I saw it in your nightmare. Despite the nature of the incident, I brought you here for a second chance. I wish for you to come to terms with your past and reconcile, as I once did. If it makes you uncomfortable, you do not have to share what happened with anypony else. Only if you deem it okay; I have not indulged with them anything I've seen."

"Why are ya tryin' to help me when you've seen what I did?" he asks. "A monster doesn't deserve a second chance."

"Because I do not think one action decides someone's fate. You are more than an error." Luna gives him a gentle smile. "And you are definitely not a monster."

Foxy averts his eyes, not sure he believes her words.

"If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask. I must return to Canterlot now, but I am only a letter away—just ask Twilight. Good luck, Foxy. _Take advantage!" _

Princess Luna turns and exits, throwing her parting words over her shoulder as she opens her wings. She waves to the assembled ponies below and continues off into the sky towards Canterlot.

The Main Six enter the cottage again, and Fluttershy walks up to Foxy.

"Anything on your mind?" she asks. Foxy just shrugs, still unnerved by the fact that someone knows his dark past. Fluttershy smiles sadly for just a moment. "Need anything?"

Foxy finally glances down at the buttery yellow pegasus who's standing at his feet.

"A charge, I guess. Me batteries're runnin' low," he admits with another shrug.

Twilight dashes forward, smiling, and says, "I think I can help you there—and maybe with some other stuff. You wouldn't mind a tune-up, would you? You're looking a bit rough around the edges."

"Ya wanna _fix me?"_

"If you'd like it, or, well, if you wouldn't mind me doing it. I've been working on some machinery lately, and I'm sure I could patch up those . . . holes." Twilight smiles sheepishly and waves a hoof.

"Well, if you're giving him a makeover then you simply must let me have a go! This dreary paint job drastically needs a revamp, if I do say so myself," Rarity adds. "Can't have him going around looking like he's just been chased by Timberwolves!" She pauses at the looks she receives and runs a hoof through her mane. "Quite literally!" She glances up at Foxy, who's head is tilted in confusion.

"Now, dear, it's not an insult if it's true! You need a bath."


End file.
